Container with article-delivery means



April 21, O w MOORE "CONTAINER WITH ARTICLE DELIVERY MEANS Filed June 30, 1928 Patented Apr. 21, 1931 oscan w. MOORE, or cHIcAeo', rumors CONTAINER WITH ARTICLE-DELIVERY MEANS Application filed June 30,

This invention relates to containers having provision for separating and delivering articles from others contained therein and is herein illustrated as a cigarette case.

An object of the invention. broadly, is to provide a case or holder, for a plurality of articles, in which is provided a discharge outlet and improved means for obstructing or closing the outlet operable to separate and present for delivery the articles in said container at said opening upon a tilting down and up of the container. It is also an object of the invention to provide improvements in gravity controlled delivery means for cigarette cases and other containers.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by a construction as shown in the drawing, in which Figure. 1 shows in perspective a cigarette case provided with the improved separating and delivery means.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the cigarette case.

Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are fragmentary sectional views illustrating the relationship between the gravity controlled separator and delivery means with respect to the casing when the casing, during an operation of the device, is moved through different angular j positions with respect to the delivery means.

The invention may be carried out by means of a casing suitably formed for containing a number of like articles and having a discharge opening therein which is normally obstructed or more or less closed by a delivery member pivotally suspended in the casing near said opening. The delivery member is normally held by gravity in a particular relationship with the casing. WVhen the casing is in such position that the opening is at the top, the delivery member which, for example is concave on its inner surface, hangs with theconcave surface facing upwardly. By tilting the container on the axis of the delivery member the'casing may be brought into such position with respect to the delivery member that an article in the casing may drop into the concave side of the delivery member and then, by restoring the casing to its'original vertical position, the article received by the 192s: SerialiNo. 289,451.. 1

delivery member will be separated from. the r remaining. ones'in the casing. and exposed at the. openings, It then maybe lifted out of. thedeliverymemben. The drawings illustrate. the invention. as applied to a cigarette case. whichzisrpreferably. made of. two parts 1. and Qhinged to gether atrone end by hinge 3 so-that the casing may be conveniently opened. and. filled with cigarettes- VVhen-closed, the-casing is re,- tained. in its closed position by a resilient fastening means t indented into the. interfitting side flanges 5 and. 6 of the parts land 2 of the casing. w The end of thecasing oppositethe hinge 3 is provided with adischarge outlet '1 which is' more or' less closed or obstructed by a delivery element 8 pivotally suspended; from pins 9 in theside flanges 5 in the part]. ofthe. casing. The member 8 is. shown as having aconcave or pocket shaped inner surface in order. to support aieigarette.

When the casing is tilted downwardly with respect to the delivery member8, a cigarette may roll into member 8 from the casingnas illustrated lIlElg-Z. 4 bydotted lines 10 indieating a cigarette. This is after the casing has passed through the horizontal position indicated in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows the relat-ionship as the casing-is returned through the horizontal position with a cigarette in the delivery element 8 separated from the remaining cigarettes in the container. When again restored to the original vertical position as illustrated in Fig. 7, the separated cigarette is presented at the opening 7 in position to be conveniently removed. The sides of the parts 1 and 2 of the casing at the opening 7 are centrally cut away at 11 so as not to interfere with the removal of the separated cigarette and for the same reason the delivery member 8 also has its sides partly cut away at 12.

In the operation of the device it is opened for filling by swinging the parts 1 and 2 of the casing apart on the hinge 3. When closed and brought to the normal vertical position as illustrated in Fig. 1, the delivery member 8 will be'empty as shown in this figure. The delivery element 8 receives a cigarette when the casing is tilted as indicated inFig. 4 or completely inverted as indicated in Fig. 5. When restored to vertical position as indicated in Fig. 7 the separated cigarette in the delivery member 8 is in position for removal.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A container of the class described comprising a casing having an opening at one end, a pair of pivotal supports on said casing adjacent the open end thereof, and a delivery member comprising a pair of arms, one pivotally mounted on each support, said arms being of suflicient length to permit said member to be held against unitary rotation with said casing by gravity.

2. A cigarette case comprising a container having an opening in'one end, a pair of pivotal supports on said container adjacent the open end thereof, a substantially semi-cylindrical member extending across said opening, a pair of arms extending radially from the concave side of said member, one pivotally mounted on each support, said semi-cylin drical member being spaced from said pivotal supports and adapted to be held against unitary rotation with said casing by gravity, for alternately positioning the concave side of said member in the interior and on the exterior respectively of said casing, so as to dispense articles therefrom when said casing is rocked.

Signed at Chicago this 28th day of June,

OSCAR W. MOORE. 

